Redistricting causes changes in York County and Poquoson

Officials in both localities are educating voters on the changes.

Election signs are popping up all over the county including in front of Sno… (Tyra M. Vaughn, Daily Press )

August 11, 2011|By Tyra M. Vaughn, tvaughn@dailypress.com | 247-7870

YORK — — With the primary election season in full swing, York County Board of Supervisors District 3 Representative Don Wiggins has spent the past month campaigning in neighborhoods in his district in hopes of being elected to another term on the county's top governing body.

In addition to sharing his election platform with his constituents, Wiggins has found himself educating voters on the changes to the county's voting districts after redistricting was approved earlier this year.

"Only 5 percent of the voters have noticed there's been a change in their voting district and the other 95 percent don't know a change has occurred," Wiggins said. "Of that 5 percent, the majority think Mr. Zaremba is still their representative, so I'm having to tell them that I'm their representative now."

In April, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a redistricting plan that moved the Yorktown, Moore House and Marlbank areas from District 1 to District 3.

The plan was adopted as a result of federal mandate that requires voting the Board of Supervisors to redraw its election district boundaries every 10 years following the U.S. Census.

The goal is to follow the principle, "one person, one vote," and make sure each of the districts are equal in population. In York, the boundaries must be adjusted because the geographic distribution of population has been uneven since 2000.

The new redistricting plan includes five districts and 13 precincts.

However, county officials say the local voting districts aren't the only ones affected by redistricting.

"Everyone in York County, except the people in Waller Mill, will be affected by redistricting in one way or another," said Walter T. Latham, York County's general registrar.

He said these voters could have a different County Supervisor, in addition to State House or Senate representative.

Some county voters will also have new polling places, Latham said. For example, Queens Lake will now vote at Queens Lake Middle School instead of Magruder Elementary and Harris Grove precinct no longer exists.

In Poquoson, redistricting only caused small changes. Local voting districts weren't affected. However, the redrawing of district lines at the state level caused Poquoson to move from Sen. John Miller's district to Sen. Tommy Norment's district, said Tammi M. Pinckney, general registrar for Poquoson.

York officials say they are working to educate voters about the changes.

"Everyone will get new voting cards in the mail, and I think that will help, but we will also have the electronic poll books," said Charles F. Noll, chairman of the York County Electoral Board. "If you identify yourself, then it will come up with the precinct that you're supposed to be at. So if you're at the wrong precinct, you'll know where to go."

He said York County's "Citizens News" has also alerted residents of the changes.

"I think word is getting around, that some areas have new state both House and Senate representatives running in November," he said.